The quiet Muggle cafe Hermione Granger had decided on for this particular meeting now seemed completely wrong. The few Muggles in the cafe shot her sympathetic glances as she repeatedly checked her watch.
They thought I've been stood up, Hermione thought to herself. As she glanced at her watch again she almost wished that was the case, but it wasn't. She knew her date far too well to be worried after only ten minutes of waiting past the appointed meeting time. Date might not have been the right word. But it would have to do. The alternative was donor and she was forcing herself not to think about that yet.
She took a deep calming breath as doubts came flooding in. She was crazy to be doing this. He would laugh at her and think it was a huge joke his brother had put her up to. Or worse, he would think she was serious and let her down gently, sweetly. She knew he could be kind when he put his mind to it.
What if he agreed? The thought terrified her even though that was the end goal.
What if he agreed! her mind screamed.
It had seemed like a very viable option when she had very logically listed the pros and cons, poured over all the options for weeks. Spent hours agonising just who her chosen victim would be. When she had finally settled on him, relief had coursed through her veins and she refused to give it a second thought. Refused to entertain any doubts that maybe he might not be the right choice. She knew when she made it that it wasn't the right choice, but it was the best.
Wasn't it?
"Hermione, sorry I'm late."
Hermione looked up to see George Weasley motioning the waitress for a coffee. Her breathing picked up tenfold and sweat broke out all over her body. She snatched up her napkin and hastily wiped her hands under the table as George took a seat.
He folded his tall lean body into the chair across from her, his red hair catching the sunlight that poured in through the glass walls of the cafe like a halo around his head. Hermione almost groaned, he was so beautiful it was almost painful to look at.
George's looks definitely factored into her decision making, though she would deny it if she was ever asked. Hopefully, no one would ever ask.
"So, what can I do for you, Hermione? I'm sure you didn't just invite me out to chat." He smiled and Hermione ignored the coil of tension in her stomach. She deliberately pushed it aside and pulled courage from God only knew where.
After a deep, calming breath she began, "I'm twenty-seven years old."
George nodded. He and Fred had thrown her a surprise party for her birthday only three weeks ago.
"I'm twenty-seven," she repeated, "and I have a successful career, I own my home and could easily take a couple of years off to travel. Experience the world."
George nodded, listening intently.
"I don't want to travel. I had my fill of it a decade ago."
They both winced, thinking back to that horror year that ended with the Battle of Hogwarts, the one that had nearly cost Fred his life.
"I'm quite content to stay in our little corner of the world and just really live my life." Hermione laughed awkwardly. "Harry and Ginny have their son, Ron just got engaged and I feel like I've spent the last ten years trying to be," Hermione took a deep breath, shaking her head. "Trying to be the person I had planned to be."
George smiled sympathetically. She hadn't seen him this serious in years, if she had ever even seen him this serious. He tilted his head to the side and his brow wrinkled in confusion.
"So, what can I do for you, Hermione?"
The words stuck in her throat and she cleared it a few times before she could finally force them out.
"I want you to give me a baby."
George laughed and Hermione's heart plummeted. Her face burned bright red and her eyes dropped to her lap. The napkin she had grabbed earlier was shredded in her lap. The light blue pieces contrasted prettily against the deep violet of her skirt.
"What, do you want me to steal you one?" George laughed, missing the point entirely.
Tears stung Hermione's eyes as humiliation washed over her, burning her skin from her toes to the top of her head.
"Maybe Harry and Ginny will give you theirs," he chortled, drawing the attention of the other patrons.
"Stop it, please," Hermione said quietly, swiping at the tears that escaped despite her determination to keep them at bay. "Just stop."
George's laughs quietened as he took in Hermione's wet, red face, her drooping shoulders and her downcast eyes.
"That's not what you meant at all, is it?" he asked, reaching for her hand. Hermione snatched it away.
"Here's your coffee," the waitress said, placing George's coffee on the table in front of him. Her curious eyes darted between the two of them but George just smiled politely and she soon returned to her work.
"I don't understand," George said after he'd taken a fortifying swallow of his coffee. "When you say you want me to give you a baby you mean you want me to..."
"Make a baby. With me." Hermione twisted her watch around on her wrist, looking anywhere but him. "Please," she added as an afterthought, earning a wry smile from George's suddenly pale face.
"I – this – it's a lot to take in." He ran a hair through his hair, exhaling a deep breath.
"I know," Hermione said quietly. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked, it's not fair of me but I just didn't want it to be some nameless, faceless stranger. I want my baby to have a mother and a father. I'm not so new age that I think a child doesn't need a man's influence."
"Hermione – " George started but she talked over him.
"Please, don't say anything now, just don't. Take a few days and think about it. I'll accept a no and not mention it again but as your friend I think I deserve to have you seriously consider this."
George stared at her, incredulous. "You deserve? You deserve?" He whispered angrily, suddenly very mindful of the fellow diners. "I deserve to not have to make this kind of decision, Hermione. I deserve to not have friends who are completely selfish."
Hermione's bottom lip trembled as guilt flooded through her. "I'm sorry."
George huffed out a breath and took another sip of coffee. He was unreasonable angry, more than the situation warranted but he couldn't stop himself.
"What makes you think that I would be interested in becoming a father? Have I ever said or done anything to make you think that I would be? I'm not, okay? I don't want this, I'm not interested. I don't want any of this."
He stood up and grabbed up his coat from the back of the chair. Hermione nodded, swiping at a few more stray tears.
"No, of course not, I'm sorry for asking. I won't, again." She took a deep breath and forced herself to look up at him. "Thanks for coming."
George said nothing more. He reached into his pocket and threw some money on the table before storming out the door. Hermione quickly added the cost of her own drink, retrieved her things and hurried out the door. George was nowhere in sight. Ashamed, Hermione turned towards the nearest ally and once safely hidden from the public, Apparated home.
